Is it true that most grow out of it?

[LindsayS79]

My 7 month old DD has bad eczema and has been put on neocate for a potential milk allergy (no tests were carried out).
I've been told to avoid cows milk until 1 year old, but I found out today that she's allergic to eggs after she came out in an immediate reaction.
No-one in my family has any intolerances, just eczema etc. I keep being told that babies normally grow out of milk/egg allergies but does anyone have any experience of this happening (or not?)

Think the statistics are 75% outgrow it by 12/18 months and by 5 years 95% will have outgrown it. So there is a massive amount of hope. No personal experience exactly, I'm just waiting for my 14 month old to be retested for the same (milk and eggs).

Have you seen anyone about the egg reaction? You really should be able to get that tested with a skin prick test because it was an immediate reaction. It's important you get it properly diagnosed as nurseries sometimes need to see the letter in order to put a plan in place for mealtimes, and also in case it impacts on having immunisations.

My sons skin (big red sandpaper cheeks etc) really cleared up when we started the egg and milk free diet, it took maybe 6 weeks but he was like a different baby.

Best of luck

My 19 mth old was diagnosed at 6 mths with a milk allergy and is growing out of it. Can now tolerate a few spoons of yogurt, cheese biscuits and cake! Good luck!

DC1 is 6 and still allergic to eggs

DC2 was allergic to cows milk protein from birth but outgrew it by 14 months

I'm sorry to hijack, but Chillijo, how did you know that he had grown out of it. I'm scared to try too much

melonribena I just oh so slowly introduced foods containing milk. Day one was a batch of biscuits I made with dairy free fat but a v. small amount of milk, after no reaction for a few days I tried a bite of a malted milk biscuit, waited a few days, a whole biscuit etc etc. As there was no signs of any reaction, within a fortnight, after slowly building up the challenges, she had her first fromage frais. Within a month she was a total milk monster, necking pints of the stuff

Ds1 (aged 5) still carries an epipen for his allergies to milk, eggs and some other foods. He has a lot of food allergies.

My understanding is that most children grow out of milk and egg allergies, but are less likely to grow out of these if they are allergic to lots of things, and the allergies are severe.

My approach has always been to assume that ds will not grow out of his allergies, and to educate him accordingly. That way, we will not be disappointed - but maybe one day we will be pleasantly surprised.

However, it sounds like your little one has a fairly good chance of outgrowing the allergies... hope she does, and good luck with this.

Thanks chilli, that's brilliant! I've been trying something similar but so so slowly, it took a month to build up from a crumb to a whole malted milk. I'm going to push it a bit, but obviously carefully too!

DSs are 14 and 12. The eczema has gone but the egg allergy has stayed.

I should add its hardly a problem these days for them.

Thanks everyone. I'm just starting to worry about what else I might find she's allergic to! I don't want the little soul being inflicted with severe food allergies. I wasn't too sure if she was allergic to milk, but the egg reaction has more or less confirmed that she is!

We discovered DS1 had an egg allergy at the age of 10 months when he had a bad skin reaction, but he'd outgrown it by the time he was 5.

How was your baby fed before she was prescribed the neocate?

I'm thinking that if you were breastfeeding and eating eggs in your own diet, this could explain the eczema and she may not be allergic to milk at all.

Has your baby had any cows milk directly (in food or in formula)? If so, what was the reaction?

Cows milk is the most common allergen for young children, but is not the only allergen. Some gps do prescribe neocate as a sort of knee jerk reaction as soon as they suspect any sort of allergy.

Have you seen a specialist? Given your dd's immediate reaction to egg, you have the right to be referred to a specialist in paediatric allergies. Can you ask your gp for a referral?

Hi greenbananas
She was formula fed on sma from about 2 weeks (bf didn't work out as she had bad reflux etc).

I'm seeing a dermatologist and they referred me to the dietitian who put her on neocate at 5 months. No tests were done, they just thought it sounded like a milk allergy. I've not spoken to my GP about the egg incident yet, however I have an appt with the dermatologist this week so I'll let them know. Hopefully they will bring in the dietitian too, based on this development!
Her eczema is certainly better after being on neocate and her wind etc has improved. Unfortunately she hates having the neocate mixed with her breakfast etc!

Good you are seeing someone again soon, really do push to get the allergy testing due to the immediate reaction to egg, if they can test it now it will give a baseline for testing further along the line to see if she's outgrown it. Reactions can be worse on subsequent occasions too so it's important you know what you are dealing with. Hope all goes well, think even though it is hard at the moment it'll hopefully get better in time. Just a thought but could you try soya milk with the cereal instead of neonate? Might be worth asking the dietician.

Thank you! They did say I could give soya yoghurt so I'll double check in the milk - didn't even think of that!!

Good advice given about being tested.

For your initial question: I'd say whatever the stats say, presume that this is the way it is. With allergies, the thinking and stats have changed a lot about when / if children likely to grow out of allergies. But best to deal with the now, and if change happens, it happens.

My two have both always been egg and milk allergic (and other things also). Eldest is 10 and her milk allergy has not gone away but slowly her egg allergy did - first she could tolerate well baked egg but now all egg is fine. Because of past experience, she doesn't like it however but there is no worry around it creeping into foods.
If you need any help, in addition to that of lovely posters above, do ask. I found it daunting cooking for mine initially and yet I was a confident cook. So any specific questions, fire away (although I am in and out the rest of the week).